Chapter 312: The Collapsing Snake
The Earth Snake was still scratching at his face and screaming, lost in his own panic. Xu Qian watched as he carved bloody streaks across his skin—a truly horrifying sight.
"What's up with that old guy?" Chen Junnan asked urgently, unable to see anything.
"He... he seems to be breaking down a bit," Xu Qian said with confusion.
"No way, that's ridiculous." Chen Junnan shouted into the phone. "Here I am, a proper 'Earth Master,' ready to gamble my life with him, and he's the one breaking down? I haven't even lost it yet."
"So... what do we do now?" Xu Qian asked. "Just wait for him to fall apart?"
"Don't!" Chen Junnan replied. "Let him take the phone again."
"Again?" Xu Qian said with a wry smile. "You're not going to scare him to death, are you?"
"What's there to be afraid of? I've already thrown down the life-or-death challenge. Can it get any worse than that?"
Xu Qian nodded, stretched the phone cord, and took two steps forward.
"Um... Earth Snake, he wants to talk to you again..."
The Earth Snake jolted, staring blankly at the phone in Xu Qian's hand.
"What... what do you want?!" the Earth Snake roared. "This kid wants to kill me! She's coming! She's coming any second now!"
"Sister Qian, just ignore him. Shove the phone in his face," Chen Junnan said.
Xu Qian hesitantly reached out and offered the phone. The Earth Snake finally couldn't take it anymore and snatched it from her hand.
"What the hell are you trying to do?!" the Earth Snake screamed into the phone, his voice hoarse. "Gamble our lives with me?! Do you even have what it takes?!"
"Hey, no need to get worked up," Chen Junnan said, his tone serious. "You're old, you need to take care of yourself. There's no surveillance here, and if you collapse, I'll never be able to explain it."
"You... you..." The Earth Snake was panting heavily. He regretted being careless enough to let this thorn in his side in, knowing full well Chen Junnan was trouble.
But who would've guessed a slacker who looked like a nobody would dare bet his life against an Earth Grade?
"Kid, why are you doing this...?" the Earth Snake asked, trembling.
"Since you asked, according to the rules, I ought to lay it out for you." Chen Junnan picked his nose. "Not long ago, a pretty lady came here to play your game. Because she didn't want to do some nasty things with you, you slapped her four times. Ring a bell?"
"What...?" The Earth Snake couldn't believe his ears. "What's wrong with you? I only slapped her four times! I didn't do anything else! You're going to gamble your life over that?!"
"Old man, listen to yourself—are you even talking like a human being?" Chen Junnan said sternly into the phone. "You've got an enhanced body, and you use it to hit women? Let me ask you this: when you were a low-level Zodiac, didn't other Zodiacs beat you up?"
"You... you—even if I was wrong, you're way too worked up!" the Earth Snake yelled. "Don't you realize that if I become a player in this game, there won't be a question setter? She'll come!"
"That crazy woman?" Chen Junnan laughed. "Let her come. You and I can have a proper showdown.
"How about this..." the Earth Snake stammered. "I've got a win-win solution. We can get through the forty-eight questions peacefully, no one dies. After it's done, I'll give you extra..."
"Is that so?" Chen Junnan hesitated. "Sounds tempting. But what about those four slaps you gave her?"
"I'll... I'll slap myself back, okay?!"
"Oh? You can do that?"
"Y-yes..." the Earth Snake agreed.
"Do it."
Hearing Chen Junnan's words, the Earth Snake raised his hand and slapped himself hard.
*Smack!*
That slap left Xu Qian completely dumbfounded.
"That one doesn't count," Chen Junnan said, still picking his nose, holding the phone with his head. "Not loud enough. Do it again."
The Earth Snake clenched his teeth, took a deep breath, and slapped himself again.
*Smack!*
This time the sound was huge, carrying clearly to Chen Junnan's ears.
"Now that sounds about right," Chen Junnan said, nodding. "Old man, that's one. Three more to go. Keep going."
*Smack!*
The Earth Snake was genuinely scared. If he didn't obey, this man might shatter his dream of being emperor.
"Again."
*Smack!*
*Smack!*
After four slaps, the Earth Snake's face was swollen.
The last time he'd been slapped was by that damn white Earth Sheep.
"Okay... okay now?" the Earth Snake said through gritted teeth. "I've paid back the four slaps. Now listen to me, and we'll—"
"But I don't agree," Chen Junnan said with a grin.
"What?"
"I said I don't agree with your 'let's both survive' plan, old man." Chen Junnan stretched. "Let's start the life-or-death game."
The moment Chen Junnan finished, a sinister wind suddenly swept through the venue.
"Fuck..." the Earth Snake cursed, looking around in terror. His first instinct was to run, but after two steps he stopped.
No. He couldn't run.
Running would mean certain death. Staying here, at least he might not lose.
It was all that thorn's fault...
He slowly raised his eyes to the sky. There, a strange figure appeared.
The figure was completely wrapped in long hair, standing in midair as if on solid ground.
The Earth Snake swallowed hard, his forked tongue trembling uncontrollably.
The figure in the air extended a hand and slowly parted the hair in front of her face. She revealed a pale face and a naked body, then looked down at the Earth Snake and spoke in a stern voice: "I am the Black Tortoise."
Hearing the woman's dangerous tone, the Earth Snake took a deep breath and played dumb. "W-what business do you have?"
"I sensed that a life-or-death gamble has been triggered in this venue, with no referee present. I have come to fill the position."
As expected. What was meant to come, always came.
"So... so..."
The Earth Snake's voice trembled. He realized he had spent too long indulging in wine, women, and debauchery. He had almost forgotten the dangers a Zodiac could face.
"Earth Snake, please take your place as a contestant," the Black Tortoise said coldly.
"C-can we wait a little longer?" The Earth Snake's eyes darted around, scheming how to escape this game.
"No." The Black Tortoise descended from midair and walked to the lectern at the center of the venue.
The Earth Snake knew he had no hope of escape. Now he had to rack his brains to survive the game.
After a few seconds of thought, he forced an ugly smile.
Yes. It had been too long since he last changed the game. He had nearly forgotten the "safety measure" he'd set up.
This reckless idiot was still too young. He had overlooked one thing.
What was he now?
An "Earth Grade" Zodiac.
Even if that giant ball came straight down, it wouldn't necessarily crush him to death. After all, he had tested the game with his own body when he designed it.
He might get hurt, but he probably wouldn't die.
"Earth Grade" was "Earth Grade." They had physical constitutions that ordinary participants could never match.
That was his ultimate trump card.